Hi there, just a heads up about a book i just read that is perfect for discussion in this forum. That's all this is, a heads up, i'm not in any way affiliated to the book before paranoid spamworriers get too excited!

Being a bit of a sci-fi buff i recently checked out a series of books called The Chronicles Of Hope (they've been causing a bit of a fuss in the UK and have been pushed by Dawkins among others). It's actually not that sci-fi and features an atheist revolutionary politician... i'd say it's definitely more political fiction, with the protagonist an atheist, revolutionary, humanitarian type figure, it's pretty original... the first chapter is free on the website (http://www.thechroniclesofhope.com) and contains a speech on religion that's just genius in denouncing it so worth checking that out if want to discuss points raised...

"Global warming has been managed appallingly by the world's leaders over the years but regardless there are more immediate threats to the human race, very real and consistent threats to world peace. They mostly stem from conflicts around the world caused by that oh so fictional hypothesis, religion. Nowadays notions of power and greed might motivate the conflicts and wars equally, but undeniably over the years more people have been killed in the name of God than for any other reason. If the masses believe in something fictional and it makes them happy, and easier for you to control them, then I see why you're happy to perpetuate the myth but when this fictional thing threatens the whole of humanity surely you should be saying enough's [sic] enough?"

"Global warming has been managed appallingly by the world's leaders over the years but regardless there are more immediate threats to the human race, very real and consistent threats to world peace. They mostly stem from conflicts around the world caused by that oh so fictional hypothesis, religion. Nowadays notions of power and greed might motivate the conflicts and wars equally, but undeniably over the years more people have been killed in the name of God than for any other reason. If the masses believe in something fictional and it makes them happy, and easier for you to control them, then I see why you're happy to perpetuate the myth but when this fictional thing threatens the whole of humanity surely you should be saying enough's [sic] enough?"

(16-01-2014 06:58 AM)DavidQuinn Wrote: What part of that do you not subscribe to?

All of it. Both the claim that more people have been killed in the name of God in recent years and the claim that religion threatens the whole of humanity are blatantly false.

I agree that maybe in recent years more people have been killed in the name of capitalism than religion but over the history of human civilisation that claim is undeniable. Also considering the biological and nuclear advances by the 2080's although it's an exaggeration to say it threatens the whole of humanity it might not be that far off the mark. In the 2080's that threat will certainly be greater than rising sea levels, long term rising sea levels clearly is an issue we need to try and get a better grip on now

(15-01-2014 06:24 AM)DavidQuinn Wrote: Being a bit of a sci-fi buff i recently checked out a series of books called The Chronicles Of Hope (they've been causing a bit of a fuss in the UK and have been pushed by Dawkins among others). It's actually not that sci-fi and features an atheist revolutionary politician...

My husband has just finished writing some atheist fiction. There is so little out there that you could describe as atheist fiction. It would be like writing fiction about not being a stamp collector. What I like about his book though its subversive nature. The battle organised religion wages is one of memes, ideas and interpretations. Intelligent design for me is an attempted subversion of science. His book on the other hand is a subversion of what Christians believe in. I'm just a little worried that it will probably get us a jihad on our heads and on the hit list of all the right wing nutters.

Anyway, apologies for the shameless plug here, it's on a free promotion at the moment for kindle (until Sunday) so if anyone wants to read it and even better leave a review that would be awesome. (link and synopsis below)

Recovering from a near death experience following a car crash, Nathalie Lamont is left with a terrifying vision of the afterlife. Struggling to understand the experience, she seeks out others like her and together they discover the horrifying reality of the Abrahamic dystopia that exists beyond death...